Priyanka Puri

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Priyanka Puri ("PP") for their original perspective and innovative approach to design as well as their creative lifestyle, we are very pleased to share our interview with our distinguished readers.

DL: Could you please tell us a bit about your design background and education?

PP : I first studied engineering and that informs my design work. It was much later that I studied interior design. Hence for me science, art and craft are equally important aspects of the design process. This became my point of opportunity and differentiation as a designer.

DL: What distinguishes between a good designer and a great designer?

PP : A good interior designer is creative, technically sound in knowledge of materials as well as softwares and is well represented by his/her body of work. However, a great interior designer is committed to every new interior design project with equal dedication and is receptive to the design brief.

DL: What makes a good design a really good design, how do you evaluate good design?

PP : Good design meets its stated purpose. Design may be judged holistically across diverse aspects of functionality, aesthetics, sustainability, innovation, culture and more. However the single most important aspect that I use intuitively to tell a good design from a a bad one is the emotional response it brings out. A good design is always simple in that you can imagine it no other way and that it belongs. We may try to distinguish good design from bad through innumerable criteria and design principles but they don’t always hold true.

DL: What is the value of good design? Why should everyone invest in good design?

PP : Good design adds immense value to a product. In the case of interior design, good design makes a world of difference in the lives of the inhabitants of that space in far-reaching aspects such as functionality, comfort, well-being as well as the emotional response. Investing in good design is common sense.

DL: What is your secret recipe of success in design, what is your secret ingredient?

PP : My secret recipe for success in design is dedication to the interior project. There are no half-measures. The design in not complete until the designer and the client are both satisfied. My secret ingredient is to listen to the design brief.

DL: How could people improve themselves to be better designers, what did you do?

PP : Design is a journey and it evolves. All my past projects as an interior designer have had tremendous practical learnings for me and continue to form my body of work that demonstrates my creative and technical capability. So one can improve upon one’s interior design skills by learning from one’s own past projects but also each new project should be looked at with a new light to create something new that also serves the design brief. The design brief is a good starting point for the design. However, a good designer is constantly looking for new sources of inspiration and is constantly experimenting with new ideas.

DL: If you hadn’t become a designer, what would you have done?

PP : I think I could have done almost anything and done a decently good job of it. I was always academically bright. My life decisions brought me into the field of interior design through a meandering path. However. now I am committed to this profession and see my future in it.

DL: How do you define design, what is design for you?

PP : Design transcends a single discipline. It is the process of creation that must cater to multifarious subjective and objective attributes such as functionality, aesthetics, sustainability, geography, culture, innovation, detailing, usability, intuition and beyond. Design is also a journey and may evolve. The best designs are simple which means you could imagine it no other way.

DL: Who helped you to reach these heights, who was your biggest supporter?

PP : My biggest supporters are my family and they have been my pillars of strength.

DL: What’s your next design project, what should we expect from you in future?

PP : In 2011, we started our journey in interior design with offices. For the past couple of years, we have amassed a portfolio of high end residences. Last year we tied with an architecture studio and with that association we are moving into hospitality interiors which is an exciting future for us.

DL: What’s your ultimate goal as a designer?

PP : My ultimate goal as a designer is to put my work into the public realm. Realisation of design and the sight of a functionally and aesthetically rich built environment every time a project is delivered is a proud moment. It is the most tangible aspect of this profession and deeply satisfying.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

PP : As a designer, I am committed to the good of society. In the case of interior design, I am foremost responsible for designing spaces that promote healthy well being. In today’s context of people being overly dependent on social media and thus being disconnected physically and emotionally, well designed spaces can very effectively bring people together.

DL: When you have a new design project, where do you start?

PP : The design brief is a good starting point for an interior design project. However, a good designer is constantly looking for new sources of inspiration and is constantly experimenting with new ideas. I look to nature and travel for inspiration. I also love to research and I think I focus a lot on research during the process of design.

DL: Do you think design sets the trends or trends set the designs?

PP : Trends can be points of inspiration for a design. However, they cannot set a design. A good design addresses many other criteria and most importantly the design brief. On the other hand, a well designed interior project does set trends for those who want to follow or be inspired.

DL: What is the role of technology when you design?

PP : Technology is a tool for design. It does not replace the creative process. In the case of interior design, technological tools that aid in interior space visualisation such as 3d rendering have been a very useful tool of communication between the designer and the client and is pretty much the norm now. Advancements such as virtual reality and augmented reality also hold a lot of potential and promise for the future of interior design.

DL: What is the role of the color, materials and ambient in design?

PP : Colours, materials and ambient are all equally important elements of design that work in harmony to achieve a design theme. Materials especially are a constantly evolving segment that interior designers have to keep abreast of.

DL: Who is your ideal design partner? Do you believe in co-design?

PP : I constantly look for collaborations in design. I believe designers from different nationalities, backgrounds or areas of design can synergise the design process to their advantage.